EarthKind™ Easy Care Roses for the Landscape

1. EarthKind™ Easy Care Roses for the Landscape Dennis Patton Johnson County Extension April 2009

2. Challenges facing landscapes • Conservation of irrigation water • Reduce use and misuse of harsh pesticides • Reduce misuse of commercial fertilizers Nearly Wild

3. What is EarthKindTM • Combines the best of organic and traditional gardening techniques. • Texas A&M created a research-proven system based on real-world effectiveness and environmental responsibility.

4. What is EarthKind™ • For Americans to enjoy beautiful, productive landscapes which require only minimal maintenance while providing maximum protection for the environment. • EarthKindTM employs techniques of plant selection and culture to avoid pest problems before they occur. • Applies to the entire landscape (e.g. woody plants, annuals, perennials, roses, turf, etc.)

5. EarthKind™ Practices • Plant Selection • Soil Preparation • Watering • Fertilization • Pruning

6. Location • Must have full, direct sunlight for eight hours or more each day. • Must have good air movement around leaves. • No sprinkler irrigation during evening hours or at night. • Fungi will travel 50 miles to infect wet leaves at night!

7. Soil Preparation • Kill existing grass and weeds. • Incorporate 3 inches of expanded shale. • Incorporate 3 inches of fully finished, plant derived compost • No fertilizers of any kind.

8. Expanded Shale • Proven by A&M research to do an outstanding job of opening up and aerating clay soils. It is only needed in heavy, sticky clay soil situations. • Does not break down like compost • Permanent fix to clay soils • Provide immediate benefits

9. Long-term Soil Maintenance • The compost is only added prior to planting. • Simply add more mulch, once or twice a year, to bring the mulch layer back to a thickness of 3 inches. • Mulches act as long-term, super slow-release fertilizer. • EarthKind™ mulch is tree trimmings with green leaves

10. Watering • Once established, EarthKind™ roses are amazingly drought and heat tolerant. • Why deep, well developed roots • Establishing - Water only when soil in root ball is dry to a depth of 1 inch. • Established – Not at all or every two weeks.

11. Drip Irrigation • Drip irrigation is best because it conserves water and, prevents wetting of the foliage, reducing disease problems • Water efficiency • Increased plant performance • Applies water to the soil • Low evaporation • Low runoff

12. Fertilizing • In most loam and clay soils, there is often no need to apply any commercial fertilizers. • Compost and year-round mulching usually provides all the nutrition these roses need.

13. Spray Program • Not immune to pest problems. • High tolerance to pests, as long as you do not mind a few leaflets dropping, almost never will need to apply any pesticides!

14. Know the Good Guys Preying Mantis Lady Beetle Lady Beetle Larvae

15. Know the Good Guys Ichneumon Wasp Green Lacewing

16. What is an Easy Care Rose? • Requires no pesticide sprays • Highly resistant to disease, black spot • May still have some defoliation, but recovers • Minimal water needs • Little or no fertilization • Own Root Rose • Winter hardy • Easy pruning

17. Own Root Roses • Just as name implies • Not grafted • Dieback – same plant • Makes hardier • Easier planting • No winter mulching

18. Easy Care Marketing • EarthKind™ – Texas A & M • Knock Out series • Easy Elegance series, Bailey Nursery • Oh So Easy series • Others

19. Buck Roses • Dr. Griffith Buck, Iowa State University • Hybridizer of modern shrub roses • Highly disease resistant • Winter hardy, Ames, Iowa

20. Buck Roses April Moon Pipe Dreams Country Dancer Prairie Breeze Do-Si-Do Summer Wind Earth Song Winter Sunset Folksinger Quietness Griff’s Red Musicale Pearlie Mae

21. EarthKind™ Roses • Texas A & M Research Tested • Watch hardiness zones • Zone 5 no – problem • Zone 6 – may experience winter kill • www.earthkindroses.tamu.edu

22. Carefree Beauty • EarthKind™, control rose (sets the standard) • 4’ – 6’ high

23. Belinda’s Dream • EarthKind™ Rose • 3’ to 6’ • Zone 6 protected locations

24. Else Poulsen • EarthKind™ • 3’ to 5’

25. Knock Out • EarthKind™ • Started the Easy Care craze • 3’ to 6’

26. Knock Out Series Pink Double Knock Out Double Red Knock Out Rainbow Knock Out Blushing Knock Out Sunny Knock Out Pink Knock Out

27. La Marne • EarthKind™ • 4’ to 6’

28. Marie Daley • EarthKind™ • 3’ to 4’

29. Sea Foam • EarthKind™ • 2’ to 8’ • Horizontal habit

30. The Fairy • EarthKind™ • 2’ to 4’

31. New Dawn • EarthKind™ • Climbing Rose • 15’ to 20’

32. Souvenir de St. Anne’s • EarthKind™ • 4-6’ • Bourbon rose • Old variety

33. Local Rose Trial • Planted 2008 – evaluate through 2010 • Carefree Beauty • Belinda’s Dream • Quietness • Prairie Breeze • Penelope • Katy Girl

34. Protocols • Prepared soil fall 2007 • Compost (City of Olathe) • Expanded Shale not required for trial Spring 2008 November 2008

35. Easy Care Roses for the Garden • Miniatures • Floribundas • Polyantha • Shrubs

36. Baby Love • Miniature Shrub Rose • 2’ to 4’, licorice fragrance • Single bloom, hips can form • Parent of Home Run

37. Ballerina • 3’ to 5’ • Hybrid Musk with slight fragrance.

38. Bonica • 4’ to 6’ • Slight fragrance • Light shade • Shrub

39. Chuckles • 3’ to 4’ • Fragrance • Floribunda

40. Country Dancer • Buck Rose • 3’ to 4’ shrub • Clove scent

41. Gruss an Aachen • Peach/yellow • 2’ to 4’ • Floribunda

42. Easy Going/Livin Easy Winter Hardiness? Easy Going Livin Easy

43. Home Run • Best red shrub rose • 3’ to 5’

44. Iceberg • 3’ to 5’ • Tree form

45. Julia Child • 3’ • AAS Winner • Very fragrant • Floribunda

46. Polonaise • Buck Rose • 3’ to 4’ high

47. Quietness • 4’ to 5’ • Light pink • Good winter hardiness

48. Cinco De Mayo • 3’ • Sport of Julia Child • Rusty red-orange • New for 2009

49. Climbers • Need support • Best flowering on horizontal canes • Prune after flowering

50. Dublin Bay • Clear red • 8’ to 12’ feet